Chinook

The Chinook is not merely a rare breed — it is one of the closest encounters an American dog buyer can have with extinction and recovery. In 1965, the Guinness Book of World Records listed the Chinook as the world's rarest breed with only 125 known individuals alive. The breed was developed by Arthur Treadwell Walden in Wonalancet, New Hampshire, beginning in 1917 — a deliberate cross of a large mastiff-type sled dog with German Shepherd-type working dogs to produce the ideal American sled dog for the demanding polar expeditions of the early 20th century. Chinooks accompanied Admiral Byrd's first Antarctic expedition in 1929. Today the Chinook Club of America manages the breed's recovery, and New Hampshire has recognized the Chinook as its official state dog since 2009, with AKC full recognition following in 2013.

Arthur Walden's creation of the Chinook breed began at his farm in Wonalancet, New Hampshire, with a founding sire named Chinook — a tawny sled dog of extraordinary ability born in 1917 from a cross between a large mastiff-type dog and Greenland-type husky. Chinook's progeny became the foundation of the breed. The breed's near-extinction in the mid-20th century prompted dedicated recovery efforts by Perry and Miki Collins, Judi Rideout, and other American enthusiasts who tracked surviving individuals across the US and built a managed recovery program. The Chinook Club of America, established in the 1980s, coordinates health testing and the preservation breeding program that has rebuilt the population to its current few hundred individuals.

The Chinook is a large, well-muscled draft breed: males stand 24-27 inches and weigh 55-90 pounds; females 22-25 inches and 40-65 pounds. The defining coloration is tawny — a warm golden to reddish-brown that ranges from pale honey to dark fawn, always with darker fur at the muzzle, ears, and occasionally around the eyes. The double coat provides cold-weather insulation appropriate to the breed's sled-dog history. The expression is alert, kind, and confident — a dog entirely at ease with its own presence.

The Chinook's temperament is one of its most distinctive features for a working sled breed: it is genuinely family-oriented, gentle with children, and possesses none of the aloof independence characteristic of many Nordic working breeds. Walden's original breeding program produced dogs that worked in close collaboration with human teams rather than in independent pack configurations, and this shaping is evident in the modern Chinook's people-focused character. The breed is playful, athletic, and deeply loyal to its family. With strangers it is characteristically cautious but not fearful.

The Chinook's intelligence and people-orientation make it genuinely responsive to positive reinforcement training. AKC carting, sled sports, herding, and agility are appropriate outlets for the breed's working drive and athletic capability. The Chinook Club of America organizes training events and sled dog activities that connect US owners with the breed's heritage activities. Basic obedience and CGC certification are achievable early goals.

The Chinook is exceptional with children — a characteristic that Walden specifically selected for given the breed's family-farm origins. The breed's patience, gentleness, and genuine enjoyment of interactive play make it a consistent positive recommendation for families with children of all ages. Size requires supervision with toddlers.

The Chinook Club of America requires OFA hip, elbow, eye, and thyroid evaluations as part of its CHIC program. Epilepsy is documented in the breed at rates above the general dog population; reputable breeders provide family history information and some offer DNA seizure disorder screening where available. The breed's narrow genetic base — a direct consequence of the 1965 near-extinction — means understanding COI (coefficient of inbreeding) in breeding decisions is an active CCA health priority. Lifespan 12-15 years.

$800-$2,000 from Chinook Club of America member breeders. The breed's extreme rarity means building a relationship with the CCA and being prepared for wait lists of 12-24 months is realistic. The CCA breeder referral is the only appropriate starting resource.

Contact the Chinook Club of America (chinookclubofamerica.org) and expect a substantial wait. Request full CHIC documentation. Ask specifically about family epilepsy history and COI. Understanding the breed's genetic situation before purchase helps you make an informed decision about contributing to a recovery breeding population. Attending CCA events in New England before acquiring is strongly recommended.